Isolation
by Rufus-sama
Summary: Rufus tries to get rid of the Turks after he finds that he has Geostigma, but they're more stubborn then he thought.


A/N: I'm going to assume that Rufus would be like most people when they find out they have a terminal disease; basically just bummed out over it. Plus he had a few other things go wrong for him so those must not have helped his mood either. I do hope this doesn't come across as too cheesy...oh well.

I wrote this with a few of the themes that I keep in a list that I got from LJ. The ones in this story are emotions, isolation, self loathing and punishment. It's a little long, sorry about that. :- (

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Tseng quietly opened to the door to the room of his injured superior; Reno, Rude and Elena not far behind him. Since being inflicted with Geostigma, the young President had all but fired them in his bid to be left alone to deal with the disease.

Reno looked at the sleeping form in the bed. His hand and chest were blackened by the disease and the side of his neck was starting to show signs of the stigma as well. Reno couldn't help but feel slightly saddened and a little sickened by the sight of the disease that was slowly taking the life of someone that he called his friend.

'Think we should come back later boss? It can wait until he wakes up. The doc said he had a high fever last night so he's pretty exhausted.'

Tseng shook his head. 'No, we'll tell him now. This is something important that involves all of us and it's best to get it out of the way now so that we can do whatever it is he decides to do.'

Reno laughed at that. 'That probably means telling us to get out and not to come back. You do know that right?'

Rude raised his eyebrow. 'So if he told you to get out, would you really listen to him and leave?'

He turned around and looked at his long time partner. 'Would I leave him like this? No, even if he did fire me I wouldn't be able to. Would you?'

Rude shook his head no. Reno smiled. 'Yeah, I didn't think you would either. There's even less chance of Tsengy leaving and Laney will stay just for Tseng.'

Elena stomped her foot and tried to keep her voice quiet. 'I would not stay just for that Reno! I happen to think Rufus is an ok guy too.'

Tseng shook his head and turned to his two co-workers. 'That's quite enough bickering from the two of you. We're all pretty much in agreement as to what he will say to us and we are all in agreement as to what we're going to say to him about it. That's all that we need to discuss. Now, stop your arguing. I'm going to wake him up and I don't think he'd appreciate seeing you two fighting like children.'

Elena lowered her head like a child being scolded. Reno on the other hand, smirked throughout the scolding then gave a mock salute to his superior.

Tseng was going to reprimand Reno, but then decided against it. There was really no point to doing it since Reno would just mock salute him...again. He decided to just forget about it for now and wake the President to inform him of the doctor's suggestion.

'Sir?' He gently shook the young man sleeping in the bed. 'Sir, we need to talk to you.'

Cold blue eyes met his own dark ones. 'Tseng? What do you want? Did I not tell you all to get out and leave me alone?'

'We heard you had a fever last night sir.'

Rufus' head slowly turned towards the red-head. 'Yes I did Reno, but it's fine now. Is that why you are all here? Like I said the other times, I'm fine and you need not concern yourself with it. If I think of something that requires a Turk, I'll call you. For now, go away.'

'We don't want to.'

Rufus looked behind Reno to glare at Rude. 'What do you mean "we don't want to"? I don't care what any of you want, _I_ want to be left _alone_. Therefore, what you all want is irrelevant. Get out _now_. Do I have to fire you to get you all to leave me be?'

Tseng shook his head. 'You could try sir, but we still wouldn't leave.'

'And why's that? Because you took some stupid oath or something? I quite honestly don't care what it is that you feel is keeping you here with me in this hospital, but consider whatever the ties are to be broken. Shinra doesn't exist anymore, so you have nothing keeping you here. Get out and find something meaningful to do with your lives.'

'So are you firing us sir?'

'Yes Reno, I guess I am firing you. Since you have nothing holding you down anymore, get out and do whatever you want to do.'

Tseng sighed, looking slighly dissapointed and saddened by the turn of events. Ever since Rufus found out that he was dying, he's been trying to push them away. Tseng understood that, but he didn't think he'd actually _fire_ them.

'Before we go sir, there was a reason why I woke you up.'

Rufus grumbled, unable to hide his irritation. 'And what was the reason?'

'The doctor wants to move you.'

He stared at Tseng for a moment, slightly confused. 'Move me?'

'Yes sir, to the Healin' Lodge. They've recently finished its construction and he would like to relocate you there.'

Rufus laughed. 'Good, move me up to the mountains. At least it will be quiet up there and I'll be left alone. If he thinks that it will help me fine, I'll go. It doesn't really matter; I'll be dead soon anyway.'

The four Turks fell silent for a moment, each contemplating the President's last comment.

_He shouldn't think that way._ Tseng thought to himself._ He'll just die that much sooner with a negative attitude like that._

'Was there anything else you wanted to tell me Tseng?'

'No, I guess not sir.'

'Good, now go about your lives as you see fit.'

'Very well sir, if you insist.'

Tseng grabbed the nearest chair and sat next to Rufus' bed while Rude did the same on the other side. Reno made himself comfortable leaning on the wall, while Elena stood beside Rude.

Rufus stared at them for a few moments, dumbfounded. He was secretly happy that they wanted to stay with him, but his pride wouldn't let that show.

'What are you all doing? Didn't I just tell you to get out and do whatever you wanted to do?'

'Yup, you sure did boss,' Reno began 'and we want to stay here. Is that so bad?'

Rufus had never been so close to speechless in his life. 'But, _why_? You have nothing here anymore, you're _fired_. Did you forget that part?'

'No sir, we didn't forget.'

'Then explain to me why you're in here and not out there. There's nothing for any of you in here.'

'Sure there is.'

'Enlighten me then. What is it?'

'You.'

Rufus was more confused then he was before. 'Explain.'

'We weren't working for or loyal to the Shinra Power Company Rufus. We were like that at one point when your father was in power but it's different now. We're not loyal to the Shinra Company, we're loyal to Rufus Shinra. There's a difference. The company may be dead, but the man isn't. Why would we leave the man, who is our friend, just because the company isn't there anymore?'

'Because the man is what caused the company to fall apart and should be left alone.'

Tseng had managed to maintain a calm air throughout Reno and Rufus' exchange, but the last statement the President made made him lose his temper.

'The man did not make the company fall apart. It was the man before him, with no concern for human life, that slowly started to ruin the company. The man that came after him was left to try to fix what was left behind but didn't have the time to do it. Sephiroth and a Meteor were slightly more important then the company itself when he came into power.'

Rufus sighed and shook his head. 'But the man didn't do much to try and stop the one before him from ruining the company or people's lives.' Rufus sighed. 'In the end, they both got, or will be getting, what they deserved; death.'

Reno moved away from the wall and stood beside the bed. 'So you really think you deserve this huh?'

'Yes' Rufus admitted. 'It's payback for what I did to the planet. I hurt it and now it's hurting me.'

'You did try to save the people, Rufus. You managed to destroy one Weapon before it destroyed Midgar.'

Rufus shrugged, 'But at what cost? It fired at the building, blew it up and destroyed the area around it. I didn't save people; I killed them.'

'Not as many died as there could have been.'

'From what I hear, Midgar is destroyed. I did nothing to help. Everyone lost everything they had because I didn't help them. I'm the President remember? It was my responsibility to help them and I didn't. I opted to find some Promised Land that didn't even exist. I left them there to fend for themselves and didn't even try to evacuate them. What the hell kind of President does that make me? Not a good one, and not one that deserves to have people stay to care for him. The only reason that I should be alive is to allow the plantet to make me suffer the way I let it and the people on it suffer.'

Arguing with Rufus when he was like this was an argument that Tseng knew he would probably lose. But this fight was one that he wasn't planning on losing.

'The lifestream destroyed Midgar, Rufus, not you.'

'And how did that happen?'

'It was stopping Meteor from impacting. You couldn't stop Meteor. No one could. The only reason it was stopped was because Sephiroth was defeated.'

'No thanks to the one that was _supposed_ to help.'

Tseng shook his head. 'You did help defeat Sephiroth sir.'

'I did what?' Rufus looked up at Tseng, obviously surprised to hear that. 'How did _I_ help defeat Sephiroth?'

'That's pretty easy, sir.' Reno explained. 'The cannon hit the force field around the crater, destroying it and letting Strife and the others in to fight him. So you did do _something_ to help the planet Rufus.'

Rufus shook his head. 'All the same, with everything that I did in the past, not to mention what the company itself did in the past, this is deserved. Get out and let me deal with it.'

'Sir.' Tseng sighed, not quite sure where to begin. 'Rufus. The injuries that you sustained from the explosion were punishment enough. You still have difficulties walking for a long period of time and it's been six months. The Geostigma is a little over the top.'

'Nevertheless, it's justified. Go away.'

At that point, Tseng had heard enough of Rufus' self-loathing attitude and wanted to try to prove a point to his charge.

'So that's it then? You didn't help them when you should have so now you're going to sit here and let a disease caused by the planet eat you away?'

'I didn't say I'd just let it eat me away, but honestly, what else can I do? It's going to kill me anyway, no matter what I do.'

Tseng resisted the urge to either strangle or slap him. He knew that Rufus had more negative things happen to him lately then positive ones, but he didn't expect Rufus to all but give up because of them. The Rufus that he knew wouldn't let this affect him. That Rufus would get right back up, dust himself off and get back to work. If Rufus felt that this was his fault, then Tseng figured that he should do something about it.

He turned from the bed and looked outside. Some survivors from Midgar had found their way to Junon. Families that had nothing left and were hoping for a new beginning, orphaned children, children with Geostigma; Tseng saw them all from the window.

Seeing them gave him an idea. He went back to Rufus' bed and all but dragged the ill man from the bed to the window.

'Tseng, what are you doing? I can barely move and you drag me to a _window_? What's so important out there?'

Tseng wasn't able to hide his annoyance, nor his impatience. 'Just look out the damn window, Rufus.'

'Don't talk to me that way!'

'Why does it matter? I'm fired remember? How I address doesn't make any difference. Just look out the window.'

Rufus sighed and did what he was asked. He glanced out for a bit then turned back to Tseng, who was back sitting in the chair by the bed. 'What's so important out there?'

Tseng noticed that Rufus was having a very hard time standing up at the window. He got up from the chair placing it behind Rufus and gently lowering him into it. _See Rufus?_ Tseng thought, _Having people around is a good thing. Don't send off the ones that want to help._

'Better sir?'

'Yes, but you didn't answer my question. _Why_ am I looking out a window?'

'Don't you see anything out there?'

'Homeless people and orphaned kids with Geostigma. Your point?'

Tseng shook his head. 'My point is that they haven't given up. They have no money, the children have no one to help them with the stigma and yet they're still fighting it. You have doctors, therapists, _friends_ that want to help you, yet you've given up and are pushing your friends away. Why?'

Rufus shrugged. 'I don't know.'

'Because you think you deserve it?'

'Basically.'

Tseng tried his best to maintain a calm air while trying at the same time to have Rufus understand why he was so frustrated. 'Do you know what you would do if you were a good President? Help them. The world didn't end when that building blew up. The building fell; the man didn't. They still need someone to help them and not someone that dwells on the fact that he didn't help them before. Sitting here waiting to die and leaving them to fend for themselves would make you no better then your father and I know that you're better then that.'

Rufus stared quietly out the window at the children in the street. Most of them had some sign of Geostigma; a bandage around their head, one around their neck or somewhere else. Some were sitting on the ground, tired from an attack or from a fever that was starting to ravage their small bodies. The more he looked at them, the more he understood what Tseng was trying to say.

'To repay my debt to them and the planet, I should help them out as much as I can before I die, not just sit back and let this kill me.'

He heard the red-head confirm behind him. 'That sounds about right yo.'

_I said that out loud?_ Rufus sighed _They are right I suppose. I could help them rebuild their lives. That would be a better way to repay what I've done to them instead of letting this kill me._

'It would take a _lot_ of work.'

'In that case, I wish the people that you hire for the job the best of luck with this endeavor.'

Rufus looked up at Rude, unsure of how to word his thoughts. 'Yes, about that...would anyone like to assist me in the reconstruction?' That was Rufus' equivalent of "I take it back, none of you are fired. I need you to work...and keep me company."

'So we got our jobs back, yo?'

'Yes Reno, you got your jobs back.'

'Only to work or can we help you out too?'

Rufus did a double take. 'You _want_ to help me? Not just work?'

'Did you miss the whole point of this? Look, we want to help you because you are our _friend_, not just "the big boss". Besides, you need to stay rested and we're more then willing to help you. You'll just have to live with that sir. Sorry about that.'

Rufus shook his head, trying to hide the smile that was fighting to be shown. 'Very well Reno. If I need help with anything non-work related I'll let you know. For now, one of you contact Reeve for me.'

'The executive that controlled Cait Sith?'

'Yes Rude, that's him. One of you call him for me.'

'But why?'

'He was the architect for Midgar. I want to go over some things with him and see what we can do when it comes to new places for these people to live.'

Rude nodded. 'I'll contact him sir. Where should I say for him to meet you?'

'The Lodge, but tell him not to let _anyone_ know where I am or who he's going to see.'

'Yes sir.' Rude pulled out his cell phone and left the room.

Reno, Elena and Tseng looked intently at the President, waiting for orders.

'Anything for us to do sir?'

'Not really, just little jobs. Not really jobs that fall under the job description of a Turk.'

Reno shrugged. 'Doesn't matter sir. Remember we did say we wanted to help you out. What are they?'

'I need my stuff packed and I need to tell the doctor that I'm waiting to move to the Lodge.'

'I'll inform the doctor of your decision sir.' Elena bowed to her superior before exiting the room to find the doctor.

'I'll start packing for you boss. You know, you really should get some sleep before we move though.' Reno searched the room and eventually found the President's suitcase, which he began filling with the clothes and other personal belongings that Rufus had used during his stay.

Tseng watched the three Turks as they each proceeded to follow the orders given by the President. Although the orders didn't seem like "Turk worthy" orders to Rufus, Tseng knew that having someone do them for him took a lot of uneeded stress off Rufus' shoulders. He also knew that none of them minded doing these kinds of jobs. If it helped Rufus, they had no complaints.

It also meant that he got three things done at once, without having to strain his already tired and injured body. That would be something that Rufus would come to appreciate as the disease worsened.

'Sir?'

Rufus' eyes were slowly shutting against his will. He forced them open to look at his bodyguard.

'Yes Tseng?'

'Is there anything you would like for me to do sir?'

Rufus nodded, 'Yes there is actually. Since you dragged me to the window, you can help me back to my bed. I can't walk back there by myself. Do that and I'll forgive you for causing the pain I now have in my back.'

'I am so sorry sir.' He gently put his arms around Rufus and helped him from the chair. Rufus stopped him before he was able to take a step.

'Rufus.'

'Excuse me?'

'I've known you for _years_ Tseng. You _can_ call me Rufus. That is my name after all. Haven't I told you that before?'

'Yes, you have Rufus. I am sorry. I hope I didn't hurt you too much.'

They slowly made it across the room and he gently helped Rufus into the bed.

'No more pain then I'm already used to.'

A few minutes later, Elena and Rude both returned and Reno was done packing.

'The doctor said that the transport will be ready by late this afternoon. You should be at Healin' before nightfall.'

'Reeve said that he would be more then happy to discuss construction projects with you sir. He'll come by as soon as you're settled at the Lodge.'

'Everything is all packed and ready to go at the door sir. I'll bring it to the transport when we're ready to go.'

Rufus smiled at his Turks, something that he hadn't done since he fell ill.

'Thank you for the assistance. It's appreciated. Now, if you don't mind, I am very tired and would like to rest. Please only wake me when it's almost time to leave.'

The four Turks bowed to the President then quietly exited his room to wait for the beginning of what they hoped was a better era for Shinra.

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R&R and I'll give you a virtual cookie in the shape of Rufus! Or Tseng…maybe Reno too…


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